IOI
Do you have a good movie to watch tonight? You need to check out some of these new Hollywood movies that are inspired by Indian Mythology. Whether you’re looking for a movie to watch with your kids or with your significant other, this list has it all. From the clash of civilizations in the era of the Ramayana to the present day conflicts in India, there is something for everyone in this list.
- Avatar
Avatar is a 3D science fiction film released in 2009. It is directed by James Cameron and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sigourney Weaver. Avatar was filmed with Cameron’s own specialized 3D camera system, called the Lightstorm 3D camera. Avatar is set in the mid-22nd century, when humans are on the verge of extinction and the Earth’s resources are dwindling. The film takes place on a lush moon called Pandora, where humans mine for unobtanium, a fictional mineral sought after for its unique properties.
‘Avatar’ is a sanskrit word and this movie is based on the Hindu Hindu Mythology. The movie has avatars that are born to save the universe. The avatars are good, evil, and something in between. The storyline of the movie follows one of the avatars and it follows his adventures in the real world and in a fictional universe. This is inspired from Lord Vishnu a god for Hindus whose Avatars are born every time to save the universe.
2. Matrix Trilogy
The Matrix trilogy is a triology of films directed by the Wachowski Brothers and stars Keanu Reeves as Neo, an individual who has been awakened from a lifelong coma to find the world in which he once believed to be real has been hollowed out and occupied by machines. In an effort to stop the machines, Neo joins a group of computer hackers known as the resistance and gains superhuman abilities. It’s no secret that movies are a great way to get inspiration for our lives. The Matrix trilogy is a movie that is inspired by Indian mythology. They show the importance of embracing your true self and finding your purpose in life. The story focuses on what is known as Maya, the false reality that we live in. It’s a beautiful portrayal of what it means to come out of our comfort zone and find what’s really important.
In the beginning of the Indian epic Mahabharata, it talks about two fighting cousins who were born from different mothers. These cousins were also fathers of the great Indian warriors known as the Pandavas and the Kauravas. They are not brothers, but they are cousins. One of these cousins was Duryodhana and the other was Bhima. The fighting sequence in the end is heavily inspired from it.
3. Interstellar
One of the most popular science fiction films released this year is Interstellar. It was directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine. Interstellar is set in the near future where the Earth has been ravaged by a mysterious blight that makes all crops impossible to grow. This film is also set in the future where mankind is attempting to colonize other planets. The film was inspired by the Vedic mythologies and is about a man on a mission to save humanity and a newly discovered wormhole that connects Earth to the rest of the universe.
The father and daughter storyline is taken from Hindu Mythology when King Kakudmi and his daughter Revati travel through heaven to meet the deity Brahma. Lord Brahma explains to them that time runs differently on different planes of existence, and that during the short time they had waited in heaven to see him, thousands of years had passed on Earth.
4. Star Wars Series
Fans of the Star Wars series know it has quite a bit of historical references. The film series, which was created by George Lucas, has been wildly popular and has had several sequels. For those who are not familiar with the series, it is a sci-fi fantasy film series about the Galactic Empire and its opposition, the Rebel Alliance. Some of the more popular films in the series include: “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones,” “Revenge of the Sith,” and “The Force Awakens.”
The storyline is taken from the Ramayana where Princess Sita is also kidnapped and held against her will by Ravana. Rama then comes to his wife’s rescue, aided by a devoted and noble creature that is half-man and half-animal, the monkey god Hanuman.
5. Inception
Inception is a 2010 science fiction thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, a professional thief who specializes in corporate espionage and is known as a “cobbler”, because he infiltrates and steals information from the minds of corporate executives. Cobb is commissioned by an wealthy entrepreneur named Saito to infiltrate the mind of a corporate CEO, who is about to use his company to build an advanced artificial intelligence, named within the film as “The One”.
The Hindus believe that our “reality” is an illusion, or ‘Maya’. More specifically, it is the dream of a God. The aim of the spiritual goal is to experience ‘Pure Consciousness’ in the form of bliss. Bliss is said to be what everyone wants and is the reason for living. It is also a lot more simple than we think. Pure Consciousness is attained through detachment and letting go of ‘Maya’. Adi Shankaracharya proposed the concept pf the universe and self being one.
6. The Legend of Bagger Vance
The Legend of Bagger Vance is a hollywood film that is about an amateur golfer who was given a chance to play against a legendary golfer from the future. At the end of the film, he goes back in time and the whole film then becomes a success story.
The plot of this movie is based on the Hindu sacred text the Bhagavad Gita, where the Warrior/Hero Arjuna refuses to fight. The god Krishna appears as Bhagavan (Bagger Vance) to help him follow his path as the warrior and hero that he was meant to be.
7. Dr. Strange
The hollywood film Dr. Strange is a movie that’s inspired from Hindu Mythology. The movie’s main character, Dr. Stephen Strange, is a neurosurgeon with the ability to manipulate time and space. However, due to an accident he becomes incapable of performing surgery and must use alternative medicine to cure his patients.
The use of the word Shamballa is made when Mordo gives it as a password to him. Ancient Hindu traditions it is believed that “Shamballa ” is the birthplace of “Kalki” ; an incarnation of Lord Vishnu who frees the people from Dark ages much similar to Dr. Strange who saves the world from the Dark dimension.
Hollywood movies have always been a popular means of entertainment for many people. The Indian mythology and culture has been a source of inspiration for Hollywood movies in recent years. These above listed movies are not only engrossing but also depicts valuable lessons from Hinduism.
